Pride and Power
by h.psane
Summary: It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a Saiyan in possession of power, must be in want of more power. Austen remix of our favorite DBZ couples.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a Saiyan in possession of power, must be in want of more power.

However little known the feelings or views of such a Saiyan may be on his first landing on a planet, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the planets inhabitants, that he is considered a creature of unimaginable violence.

"My dear Mr. Brief" said his lady to him one day, "have you heard of the mysterious and other worldly Pods that have just landed?

Mr. Brief replied that he had not.

"But it is so," returned she; "for Mrs. Long has just seen it, and she told me all about it."

Mr. Brief made no answer, his mind on other things.

"Do you not want to know who has arrived from the heavens?" cried his wife impatiently.

" _You_ want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it."

This was invitation enough.

"Why, my dear, you must know, Mrs. Long says that there to greet the pods was a young man of such an immense power from the wilds; that he came down on Monday with a companion to see the what the ships were here for, and was so promptly attacked by the men within the pods. With his companion, a Sir Krillen, immediately; he fought them and have saved us all. Now he is to be in town before the weeks end."

"What is his name?"

"Son Goku."

"Is he married or single?"

"Oh! Single, my dear, to be sure! A single man of such power levels must be available; Mrs. Long says it is over nine thousand. What a fine thing for our girls!"

"How so? How can it affect them?"

"My dear Mr. Brief," replied his wife, "how can you be so tiresome! You must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them."

"Is that the best idea for a young man of those immense levels of ki manipulation? To settle in a city such as this?"

"Nonsense, how can you talk so! He does not intend to settle in the city, but rumor has it he has an abode out in the wilds near here he built himself. But it is very likely that he _may_ fall in love with one of them, and therefore you must visit him as soon as he comes."

"I see no occasion for that. You and the girls may go, or you may send them by themselves, which perhaps will be still better, for as you are as handsome as any of them, Mr. Son Goku may like you the best of the party."

"My dear, you flatter me. I certainly _have_ had my share of beauty, but I do not pretend to be anything extraordinary now. When a woman has five grown-up daughters, she ought to give over thinking of her own beauty."

"In such cases, a woman has not often much beauty to think of."

"But, my dear, you must indeed go and see Mr. Son Goku when he comes into the neighbourhood."

"It is more than I engage for, I assure you."

"But consider your daughters. Only think what an establishment it would be for one of them. Sir Toriyama is determined to go, merely on that account, for in general, you know, he visit no newcomers. Indeed you must go, for it will be impossible for _us_ to visit him if you do not."

"You are over-scrupulous, surely. I dare say Mr. Son Goku will be very glad to see you; and I will send a few lines by you to assure him of my hearty consent to his marrying whichever he chooses of the girls; though I must throw in a good word for my little Bulma."

"I desire you will do no such thing. Bulma is not a bit better than the others; and I am sure she is not half so handsome as Chichi, nor half so good-humoured as Launch. But you are always giving _her_ the preference."

"They have none of them much to recommend them," replied he; "they are all young and naive like other girls; but Bulma has something more of quickness than her sisters."

"Mr. Brief, how _can_ you abuse your own children in such a way? You take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion for my poor nerves."

"You mistake me, my dear. I have a high respect for your nerves. They are my old friends. I have heard you mention them with consideration these last twenty years at least."

"Ah, you do not know what I suffer."

"But I hope you will get over it, and live to see many young men of four thousand a year come into the neighbourhood."

"It will be no use to us, if twenty such should come, since you will not visit them."

"Depend upon it, my dear, that when there are twenty, I will visit them all."

Mr. Brief was so odd a mixture of quick parts, sarcastic humour, reserve, and caprice, that the experience of three-and-twenty years had been insufficient to make his wife understand his character. _Her_ mind was less difficult to develop. She was a woman of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper. When she was discontented, she fancied herself nervous. The business of her life was to get her daughters married; her husbands was to pass his business onto the better minded of his children to continue his legacy of invention.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Mr. Brief was among the earliest of those who waited on Mr. Son Goku. He had always intended to visit him, as he had heard among the men of his lab that the young gentleman was a person of great character, and till the evening after the visit was paid his wife had no knowledge of it. It was then disclosed in the following manner. Observing his second daughter employed in trimming a hat, he suddenly addressed her with:

"I hope Mr. Son Goku will like it, Bulma."

"We are not in a way to know _what_ Mr. Son Goku likes," said her mother resentfully, "since we are not to visit."

"But you forget, mamma," said Bulma, "that we shall meet him at the assemblies, and that Mrs. Long promised to introduce him."

"I do not put much faith into Mrs. Long doing any such thing. She has two nieces of her own and has to do right by them instead of us."

Said Mr. Brief; " I am glad to find that you do not depend on her serving you."

Mrs. Brief deigned not to make any reply, but, unable to contain herself, began scolding one of her daughters.

"Don't keep whirring on so 18, for Heaven's sake! Have a little compassion on my nerves. You tear them to pieces."

"18 has no discretion in her whirs and clanks," said her father; "she can not time them after all."

"I do not whir for my own amusement," replied 18 cooly, her facade of non chalance never wavering. "When is your next ball to be, Bulma?"

"To-morrow fortnight."

"Aye, so it is," cried her mother, "and Mrs. Long does not come back till the day before; so it will be impossible for her to introduce him, for she will not know him herself."

"Then, my dear, you may have the advantage of your friend, and introduce Mr. Son Goku to _her_."

"Impossible, Mr. Brief, impossible, when I am not acquainted with him myself; do not tease me so."

"I honour your circumspection. A fortnight's acquaintance is certainly very little. One cannot know what a man really is by the end of a fortnight. But if _we_ do not venture somebody else will; and after all, Mrs. Long and her nieces must stand their chance; and, therefore, as she will think it an act of kindness, if you decline the office, I will take it on myself."

The girls stared at their father. Mrs. Brief said only, "Nonsense, nonsense!"

"What can be the meaning of that emphatic exclamation?" cried he. "Do you consider the forms of introduction, and the stress that is laid on them, as nonsense? I cannot quite agree with you _there_. What say you, Leggings? For you are a young lady of deep reflection, I know, and read great books on the strange incidence of ki manipulation."

Leggings wished to say something sensible, but knew not how to explain the abstract concept to her family.

"While Leggings is adjusting her information," he continued, "let us return to the subject of the young Mr. Son Goku."

"I am sick of Mr. Son Goku," cried his wife.

"I am sorry to hear _that_ ; but why did not you tell me that before? If I had known as much this morning I certainly would not have called on him. It is very unlucky; but as I have actually paid the visit, we cannot escape the acquaintance now."

The astonishment of the ladies was just what he wished; that of Mrs. Brief perhaps surpassing the rest; though, when the first tumult of joy was over, she began to declare that it was what she had expected all the while.

"How good it was in you, my dear Mr. Brief! But I knew I should persuade you at last. I was sure you loved your girls too well to neglect such an acquaintance. Well, how pleased I am! and it is such a good joke, too, that you should have gone this morning and never said a word about it till now."

"Now, 18, you may whir and buzz as much as you choose," said Mr. Brief; and, as he spoke, he left the room,for there was much work to be done in his laboratory that he had put off for this occasion.

"What an excellent father you have, girls!" said she, when the door was shut. " At our time of life it is not so pleasant, I can tell you, to be making new acquaintances every day; but for your sakes, we would do anything. Launch, my love, though you _are_ the youngest, I dare say Mr. Son Goku will dance with you at the next ball."

"Oh!" said Launch stoutly, "I am not afraid; for though I _am_ the youngest, I'm the tallest."

The rest of the evening was spent in conjecturing how soon he would return Mr. Brief's visit, and determining when they should ask him to dinner.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Not all that Mrs. Brief, however, with the assistance of her five daughters, could ask on the subject, was sufficient to draw from her husband any satisfactory description of Mr. Son Goku. They attacked him in various ways—with barefaced questions, ingenious suppositions, and distant surmises; but he eluded the skill of them all, and they were at last obliged to accept the second-hand intelligence of their neighbour, Lady Lucas. Her report was highly favourable. Sir Toriyama had been delighted with him. He was quite young, wonderfully handsome, extremely agreeable, though dim of wit and, to crown the whole, he meant to be at the next assembly with a large party of friends. Nothing could be more delightful! To be fond of dancing was a certain step towards falling in love; and very lively hopes of Mr. Son Goku's heart were entertained among the sisters.

"If I can but see one of my daughters happily settled somewhere, even in the wilds," said Mrs. Brief to her husband, "and all the others equally well married, I shall have nothing to wish for."

In a few days Mr. Son Goku returned Mr. Brief's visit, and sat about ten minutes with him in his library. He had entertained hopes of being served some of the families famously automaton made food, of whose taste he had heard much; but he saw only the father. The ladies were somewhat more fortunate, for they had the advantage of ascertaining from an upper window that he wore a light blue coat, and flew himself to their door, a feat they whispered about for days to come.

An invitation to dinner was soon afterwards dispatched; and already had Mrs. Brief planned the courses that were to do credit to her housekeeping, when an answer arrived which deferred it all. Mr. Son Goku was obliged to deal with some unfinished business he had, and was unable to accept the honour of their invitation though he desperately wanted to enjoy the feast the automatons would surely be able to produce. Mrs. Brief was quite disconcerted. She could not imagine what business he could have to attend to so soon after his arrival in West City; and she began to fear that he might be always flying about from one place to another, and never settled as he ought to be. Lady Lucas quieted her fears a little by starting the idea of his being gone to the wilds only to get a party of his companions for the ball; and a report soon followed that Mr. Son Goku was to bring three gentlemen with him to the assembly. When the party entered the assembly room it consisted of only four altogether—Mr. Son Goku, his friend Sir Krillen, a foreign looking green man by the name of Mr. Piccolo, and to the surprise of the entire assembly the last companion was none other than one of the men from the skies who had threatened the planet not yet a few months before hand. A scream rang through the party at the sight of him, but after many assurances by Mr. Son Goku of his friends now very reluctant joining to the forces of good, the party resumed as if nothing had happened.

Mr. Son Goku was good-looking and gentlemanlike; he had a pleasant countenance, and easy, unaffected manners. His companions were fine enough gentlemen for the most of them. His friend Mr. Krillen was small in stature but soon enough took a liking to 18, endlessly fascinated by the ticks and tocks of her internal workings. Mr. Piccolo, merely stood at the back of the party, arms crossed but not in an unfriendly manner. Other than the odd coloring of his person and his refusal to touch any morsel of food or spirits offered to him he was a total gentleman. Yet the only man among Mr. Goku's party that seemed to exude an unfriendly and ungentlemanly air was the young man from the sky. It was soon spread about the party, somewhat by the enviable skills of Mrs. Briefs snooping, that the young man went by the name of Prince Vegeta. Prince Vegeta soon drew the attention of the room by his stout, short person, handsome features, spikey mane, and the report which was in general circulation within five minutes after his entrance, of his having the title of prince from a culture long ago lost to the dread space pirate Frieza. The gentlemen pronounced him to be a intimidating man, the ladies declared he was much handsomer than Mr. Son Goku, and he was looked at with great admiration for about half the evening, till his manners gave a disgust which turned the tide of his popularity; for he was discovered to be proud; to be above his company, and above being pleased; and not all his title and large power level could then save him from having a most forbidding, disagreeable countenance, and being unworthy to be compared with his friend.

Mr. Son Goku had soon made himself acquainted with all the principal people in the room; he was lively and unreserved, danced every dance, was disappointed that the ball closed so early, and talked of giving one himself at his home in the wilds. Such amiable qualities must speak for themselves. What a contrast between him and his friend! Prince Vegeta refused to dance, and even remarked that dancing was only performed by the lowliest of his people. This was said with a sneer of derision towards the then dancing and most gay Mr. Son Goku. He then declined being introduced to any lady, and spent the rest of the evening in walking about the room, speaking occasionally to one of his own party, mostly remarks of the most unfriendly manner if the looks on the faces of his companions were to go by. His character was decided. He was the proudest, most disagreeable man in the world, and everybody hoped that he would never come there again. Amongst the most violent against him was Mrs. Brief, whose dislike of his general behaviour was sharpened into particular resentment by his having slighted one of her daughters.

Bulma Brief had been obliged, by the scarcity of gentlemen, to sit down for two dances; and during part of that time, Prince Vegeta had been standing near enough for her to hear a conversation between him and Mr. Son Goku, who came from the dance for a few minutes, to press his friend to join it.

"Come, Vegeta," said he, "I must have you dance. I hate to see you standing about by yourself in this stupid and surly manner. You had much better dance."

"I certainly shall not. You know how I detest it, and this miserable planet. At such an assembly as this it would be insufferable. There is not a woman in the room whom it would not be a punishment to me to stand up with, let alone become acquainted with."

"I would not be so fastidious as you are," cried Mr. Son Goku, "for a kingdom! Upon my honour, I never met with so many pleasant people in my life as I have this evening; and there are several women of note among them that are uncommonly pretty."

" _You_ are dancing with the only powerful girl in the room," said Prince Vegeta, looking at the eldest Miss Brief.

"Oh! She is the most beautiful creature I ever beheld! But there is one of her sisters sitting down just behind you, who is very pretty, and I dare say very agreeable. Do let me ask my partner to introduce you."

"Which do you mean?" and turning round he looked for a moment at Bulma, till catching her eye, he withdrew his own and coldly said: "She is tolerable for a human woman, but not holding of enough ki nor enough status to tempt _me_ ; I am in no humour at present to give consequence to mere human women. You had better return to your partner and enjoy her frivolous company, for you are wasting your time with me."

Mr. Son Goku followed his advice. Prince Vegeta walked off; and Bulma remained with no very cordial feelings toward him. She told the story, however, with great spirit among her friends; for she had a lively, playful disposition, which delighted in anything ridiculous.

The evening altogether passed off pleasantly to the whole family. Mrs. Brief had seen her eldest daughter much admired by the young man they all now held in such high regard. Mr. Son Goku had danced with her twice, and she had been distinguished by his friends. Chichi was as much gratified by this as her mother could be, though in a quieter way. Bulma felt Chichi's pleasure. Leggings had heard herself mentioned to Mr. Son Goku as the most accomplished girl in the neighbourhood; and 18 and Launch had been fortunate enough never to be without partners. They returned, therefore, in good spirits to West City and of which they were the among the mot highly noted of inhabitants. They found Mr. Brief still up. With a blueprint for a new kind of flying machine in front of him he was regardless of time; and on the present occasion he had a good deal of curiosity as to the event of an evening which had raised such splendid expectations. He had rather hoped that his wife's views on the stranger would be disappointed; but he soon found out that he had a different story to hear.

"Oh! my dear Mr. Brief," as she entered the room, "we have had a most delightful evening, a most excellent ball. I wish you had been there. Chichi was so admired, nothing could be like it. Everybody said how well she looked; and Mr. Son Goku thought her quite beautiful, and danced with her twice! Only think of _that_ , my dear; he actually danced with her twice! and she was the only creature in the room that he asked a second time. First of all, he asked Miss Lucas. I was so vexed to see him stand up with her! But, however, he did not admire her at all; indeed, nobody can, you know; and he seemed quite struck with Chichi as she was going down the dance. So he inquired who she was, and got introduced, and asked her for the two next. Then the two third he danced with Miss King, and the two fourth with Maria Lucas, and the two fifth with Chichi again, and the two sixth with Bulma, and the _Boulanger_ —"

"If he had had any compassion for _me_ ," cried her husband impatiently, "he would not have danced half so much! For God's sake, say no more of his partners. Oh that he had sprained his ankle in the first dance!"

"Oh! my dear, I am quite delighted with him. He is so excessively kind and powerful! And his friends are very charming men. I never in my life saw anything more elegant than their dresses. I dare say the lace upon Mrs. Hurst's gown—"

Here she was interrupted again. Mr. Brief protested against any description of finery. She was therefore obliged to seek another branch of the subject, and related, with much bitterness of spirit and some exaggeration, the shocking rudeness of Prince Vegeta.

"But I can assure you," she added, "that Bulma does not lose much by not suiting _his_ fancy; for he is a most disagreeable, horrid man, not at all worth pleasing. So high and so conceited that there was no enduring him! He walked here, and he walked there, fancying himself so very great! Not enough status to dance with! I wish you had been there, my dear, to have given him one of your set-downs. I quite detest the man."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

When Chichi and Bulma were alone, the former, who had been cautious in her praise of Mr. Son Goku before, expressed to her sister just how very much she admired him.

"He is just what a young man ought to be," said she, "kind, good-humoured, lively; and I never saw such a happy countenance!—so much ease!"

"He is also handsome," replied Bulma, "which a young man ought likewise to be, if he possibly can. His character is thereby complete."

"I was very much flattered by his asking me to dance a second time. I did not expect such a compliment."

"Did not you? I did for you. But that is one great difference between us. Compliments always take _you_ by surprise, and _me_ never. What could be more natural than his asking you again? He could not help seeing that you were about five times as powerful as every other woman in the room. No thanks to his gallantry for that. Well, he certainly is very agreeable, and I give you leave to like him. Though you have never liked a stupider person."

"Dear Bulma!"

"Oh! you are a great deal too apt, you know, to like people in general. All the world are good and agreeable in your eyes.

"I would not wish to be hasty in censuring anyone; but I always speak what I think."

"I know you do; and it is _that_ which makes the wonder. With _your_ good sense, to be so honestly blind to the follies and nonsense of others! Affectation of candour is common enough—one meets with it everywhere. But to be candid without ostentation or design—to take the good of everybody's character and make it still better, and say nothing of the bad—belongs to you alone. And so you like this man's friends, too, do you? Their manners are not equal to his."

"Certainly not—at first. But they are very pleasing men when you converse with them."

Bulma listened in silence, but was not convinced; their behaviour at the assembly had not been calculated to please in general; and with more quickness of observation and less pliancy of temper than her sister, and with a judgement too unassailed by any attention to herself, she was very little disposed to approve them. They were in fact very fine men; not deficient in good humour when they were pleased, nor in the power of making themselves agreeable when they chose it. They were rather handsome, and not to mention possessing of such immense ki and skill in its manipulation. They were the ones who had stood against the men from the skies not too long before; a circumstance more deeply impressed on their memories than the fact that a few of them had been in the worlds tournaments years prior.

Mr. Son Goku inherited property to the amount of nearly a hundred thousand acres from his grandfather, who did not live long into Mr. Son Goku's childhood. Mr. Son Goku intended to settle it and build himself a home. Whether he would in fact do it was doubtful to many of those who best knew the easiness of his temper. When Mr. Briefs had offered him a small capsule home to settle on his acres he took it immediately and set it up within the day.

Between him and Vegeta there was a very uneasy friendship, in line with the great opposition of character. Son Goku was endeared to Vegeta by the easiness, openness, and ductility of his temper, though no disposition could offer a greater contrast to his own, and though with his own he never appeared dissatisfied. On the strength of Vegeta's regard, Son Goku had the firmest reliance, and of his judgement the highest opinion. In understanding, Vegeta was the prince and out ranked the younger man greatly. Son Goku was by dim witted, where Vegeta was clever. He was at the same time haughty, reserved, and fastidious, and his manners were lacking. In that respect his friend had greatly the advantage. Son Goku was sure of being liked wherever he appeared, Vegeta was continually giving offense.

The manner in which they spoke of the party was sufficiently characteristic. Son Goku had never met with more pleasant people or prettier girls in his life; everybody had been most kind and attentive to him; there had been no formality, no stiffness; he had soon felt acquainted with all the room; and, as to Miss Chichi, he could not conceive an angel more beautiful. Vegeta, on the contrary, had seen a collection of people in whom there was little beauty and no power, for none of whom he had felt the smallest interest, and from none received either attention or pleasure. Miss Bulma he acknowledged to be pretty, but she lacked anything resembling a woman of his preferences.

Krillen and Piccolo on the other hand, pronounced Chichi a wonderful and powerful woman worthy of their friends affection. They only pondered aloud whether he was deserving of hers in loving mockery.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Within a short walk of WST 3338926 K, where the Briefs had taken residence, lived a family with whom the Briefs were particularly intimate. Sir William Lucas had been formerly in the trade of metal, gears, sprockets and other mechanical what not, where he had made a tolerable fortune. It had given him a disgust to his business, and to his residence in a small market town; and, in quitting them both, he had removed with his family to a house about a mile from WST 3338926 K, denominated from that period Lucas Lodge, where he could think with pleasure of his own importance, and, unshackled by business, occupy himself solely in being civil to all the world. For, though elated by his rank, it did not render him supercilious; on the contrary, he was all attention to everybody. By nature inoffensive, friendly, and obliging.

Lady Lucas was a very good and kind woman. They had several children. The eldest of them, a sensible, intelligent young woman, about twenty-seven, was Bulma's intimate friend.

That the Miss Lucases and the Miss Briefs should meet to talk over a ball was absolutely necessary; and the morning after the assembly brought the former to West City to hear and to communicate.

" _You_ began the evening well, Charlotte," said Mrs. Brief with civil self-command to Miss Lucas. " _You_ were Mr. Son Goku's first choice."

"Yes; but he seemed to like his second better."

"Oh! you mean Chichi, I suppose, because he danced with her twice. To be sure that _did_ seem as if he admired her—indeed I rather believe he _did_ —I heard something about it—but I hardly know what—something about Mr. Robinson."

"Perhaps you mean what I overheard between him and Mr. Robinson; did not I mention it to you? Mr. Robinson's asking him how he liked our West City assemblies, and whether he did not think there were a great many pretty women in the room, and _which_ he thought the prettiest? and his answering immediately to the last question: 'Oh!Chichi Brief, beyond a doubt; there cannot be two opinions on that point.'"

"Upon my word! Well, that is very decided indeed—that does seem as if—but, however, it may all come to nothing, you know."

" _My_ overhearings were more to the purpose than _yours_ , it seems my dear," said Charlotte. "Prince Vegeta is not so well worth listening to as his friend, is he?"

"I beg you would not put it into Bulma's head to be vexed by his ill-treatment, for he is such a disagreeable man, that it would be quite a misfortune to be liked by him. Mrs. Long told me last night that he sat close to her for half-an-hour without once opening his lips."

"Are you quite sure, ma'am?—is not there a little mistake?" said Chichi. "I certainly saw Prince Vegeta speaking to her."

"Aye—because she asked him at last how he liked West City, and he could not help answering her; but she said he seemed quite angry at being spoke to, and demanded her silence shortly after."

"Mr Piccolo told me," said Chichi, "that he never speaks much, unless to snark at his acquaintances. With _them_ he is stubborn and prone to fits, but can be remarkably agreeable."

"I do not believe a word of it, my dear. If he had been so very agreeable, he would have talked to Mrs. Long. But I can guess how it was; everybody says that he is eat up with pride, and I dare say he had heard somehow that Mrs. Long does not keep a carriage, and had come to the ball in a hack chaise."

"I do not mind his not talking to Mrs. Long." said Miss Lucas.

"Another time, Bulma," said her mother, "I would not dance with _him_ , if I were you."

"I believe, ma'am, I may safely promise you _never_ to dance with him."

"His pride," said Miss Lucas, "does not offend _me_ so much as pride often does, because there is an excuse for it. One cannot wonder that so very fine a young man, being a prince of some distant star, should think highly of himself. If I may so express it, he has a _right_ to be proud."

"That is very true," replied Bulma, "and I could easily forgive _his_ pride, if he had not mortified _mine_."

"Pride," observed Leggings, who piqued herself upon the solidity of her reflections, "is a very common failing, I believe. By all that I have ever read, I am convinced that it is very common indeed; that human nature is particularly prone to it, and that there are very few of us who do not cherish a feeling of self-complacency on the score of some quality or other, real or imaginary. Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us."

"If I were as powerful as Prince Vegeta," cried a young Lucas, who came with his sisters, "I should not care how proud I was."

"Then you would think a great deal more of yourself than you ought," said Mrs. Brief.

The boy protested that he should not; she continued to declare that he would, and the argument ended only with the visit.


End file.
